New York, Feb 14, 2003/ FWD/ --- Rarely in recent fashion history has the thrill of the new been presented in such somber colors, or antiquated surroundings, to such dull sounds. Yet, in the most eagerly anticipated show of the New York season on Wednesday, the youthful duo of Proenza Schouler presented an admiringly new and artfully crafted collection that more than confirmed them as great new talents, and commercially savvy designers.

They stand apart from the exciting brat pack of young American designers - Zac Posen, Benjamin Cho, Peter Som and Esteban Cortazar - in that while they may party in lower Manhattan, their ultimate audience and purse strings are uptown. Ask any retailer, like Barneys, which sold out every item of the duo's debut fall winter 2002 collection.

What sets Proenza Schouler apart are their defiantly new proportions, somewhat harsh materials and ability to conjure up a truly new silhouette. In their inventive hands the prosaic becomes very new, whether it's a trench coat cut to slide almost off the shoulders, a bolero oversized but never ungainly, or bashed brown balmacaans in buffalo.

Mixing novel materials is a key element in their style: woven rubber dickies worn over cotton twill skirts, or metallic gauzy skirts with sequined bustiers. Their sense of proportion was admirable, as was their ability to vary their silhouette. Their key look was a high-waisted pencil skirt worn with a miniature bustier that was classy and arty, extreme yet never far-fetched. But their sense of boldness was evident in a series of white painted leather coats with raccoon collars worn with long thin pants that will be among the must-haves of this season.

Yet, the show had a strangely stilted air, deadened by a soundtrack of pop chorals that sounded like a transistor in a bathtub, and the charming gloominess of the National Arts Club on Gramercy Park where it was staged.

Audacity is what got them here first place, after all. These are the two young lads who introduced themselves Anna Wintour on an airplane via a note passed up to first class. Proenza Schouler thanked Wintour in their program notes, but ironically the audience of 200 fashion insiders had to wait for Anna's crosstown rival Glenda Bailey made it through the terrorism-warning-related traffic before the show could begin.